New Mexican Green Chili Chicken Stew (Gluten-Free)

Inspired by a meal I had one day at the restaurant at the newly renovated DeYoung museum in San Francisco, this New Mexican Green Chile Chicken Stew has all the flavors I fell in love with in Santa Fe and have been dreaming about ever since. One bite and you’ll swear you hear mariachi music and smell pinon smoke in the air!

This recipe is part of our recurring Improv Cooking Challenge, #ImprovCooking. This month we are all making recipes that incorporate spicy peppers and cheese – right up my alley! Feel free to adjust the heat level to suit your family’s tastes; you can serve the jalapenos separately if you want to let people add their own. And be sure to check out all the recipes in the blog hop below, they are amazing!

When your calendar is packed and you don’t have a lot of time in your busy days, nothing is better than a meal that you can throw together quickly, cooks on its own without monitoring, and can be made ahead. This delicious stew is the perfect way to feed a hungry family!

Many of similar stews are made with pork, but I had chicken in the freezer, so I substituted it and it was delicious. You can use any protein you like, making adjustments if needed to the cooking times and seasonings. Remember, gluten-free and healthy doesn’t have to mean tasteless!

Nearly any kind of stew or slow-cooked meal can be cooked a day or two in advance, refrigerated, and rewarmed. Sloppy Joes, pasta sauce, and meat loaf all taste better on the second day. Today’s recipe is also a terrific make-ahead choice. The garnishes can be prepped earlier in the day, covered and refrigerated if needed.

I made this a thick eat-in-a-bowl type of chili. I love placing tortillas in a bowl and covering them with the chili; the tortillas absorb some of the liquid and become part of the dish. This is similar to the way some folks pour chili into a bag of Frito chips. If you want to make traditional tacos, leave out the masa harina, increase the liquid slightly and use a slotted spoon to scoop out just the cooked meat and eat it in soft tortillas or crunchy taco shells.

Most of the ingredients can be found in your pantry and you can have this assembled and cooking in less than 30 minutes. Then just let it simmer slowly or finish it more quickly if your kids are extra hungry. Make ahead meals are a great way spend more time with your friends and family! Enjoy this New Mexican Green Chile Chicken Stew today and your family will thank you!

Add the onions, bell peppers, poblanos, and jalapenos, and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Add the garlic, stir in, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Push the vegetables to the edges of the pan - if they are getting too browned, you can scoop them out and hold them to add back later.

Add the chicken and cook, stirring often, until browned. Pour in the enchilada sauce and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook at a simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are soft. Timing will vary depending on the size of the pieces of chicken.

Stir in the masa harina, corn, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper. Raise the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes to thicken the broth and blend the flavors. Taste and adjust seasonings. Continue cooking if you want a thicker sauce.

Divide corn tortillas equally between 8 serving bowls. Ladle some of the chicken stew over the top of each bowl, top with a dollop of sour cream, add some of the green onions, sprinkle with the cilantro, and serve immediately.

Click on the link below to find the other participant recipes for fun inspiration!

Create a New Tradition Today!

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Comments

This looks absolutely delicious! I have a food sensitivity to bells (but not chiles, go figure), so when I try this – and I will! – I’ll switch the bells for more poblanos. I love how veggie – rich this is! 🙂